Instamatic
Instamatic was Kodak's trademark name for their easy-load 126 cartridge film cameras, launched in February 1963 with the Instamatic 50. Later, in 1972Dates from Kodak's web site Kodak used the name Pocket Instamatic for some of their 110 cartridge cameras; other 110 models were branded Ektra or Ektralite, and for Super8 8mm movie cameras and projectors. Kodak 126 Instamatics were a great success and sold around 60 million by 1976; thus "Instamatic" became a generic term for cartridge-loading - or any plain point-and-shoot - cameras, irrespective of manufacturer. Frequently "Instamatic" was used in error to refer to Kodak's instant cameras. Due to the strong association of Instamatic with 126 cameras, the name was not used for Instant cameras, which were instead branded Kodamatic, Colorburst, EK or simply Kodak Instant. Manufacturing Instamatic cameras were manufactured in various plants across the world, in particular by Kodak in the US, by Kodak AG in Germany, and by Kodak Ltd in the UK. Instamatic models continued until c.1988. Description Whilst most Instamatics were simple "snapshot" cameras, made of plastic with very few, or no, adjustments, the range extended through designs with metal chassis, light meters or automatic exposure, rangefinders and even an SLR with interchangeable lenses. There were also add-ons such as teleconverter lenses, viewfinders etc. Early Instamatics (e.g. Instamatic 50) had a special flash adaptor for either AG-1 bulbs or (later) Flashcubes; a few had a pop-up flash gun. Later models used Flashcubes or ("X" models) Magicubes without an adaptor. From 1975, 126 and 110 models were introduced to use the new Flipflash system. Instamatic Models 126 Cartridge Model numbers ending in 0 have pop-up flash gun; ending in 4 have Flashcube socket, ending in X have Magicube socket. Models ending in F have Flipflash Name Manufacture Introduced Withdrawn Hawkeye Instamatic US 1963 1967 Hawkeye Instamatic II US Hawkeye Instamatic R4 US 1965 1971 Instamatic 11 Brazil 1969 Instamatic 25 UK Jan 1966 1971 Instamatic 26 UK 1968 1972 Instamatic 28 UK Jan 1972 1974 Instamatic 32 UK 1972 1973 Instamatic 33 UK, Germany Sep 1968 1973 Instamatic 36 UK Jan 1973 1974 Instamatic 44 US Jun 1969 Oct 1973 Instamatic 50 UK, USA Feb 1963 Jan 1966 Instamatic 55X UK, Germany Sep 1971 1972 Instamatic 56X UK Sep 1972 1977 Instamatic 66X UK Dec 1973 1977 Instamatic 76X UK 1977 Instamatic 77X UK, Germany Jan 1977 1984 Instamatic 100 US, UK, Australia Mar 1963 Jun 1966 Instamatic 104 US, UK, Australia Jul 1965 Sep 1968 Instamatic 124 US Jul 1968 Apr 1971 Instamatic 133 Germany, Spain, UK Sep 1968 1970 Instamatic 133X Germany, Spain, UK Sep 1970 1971 Instamatic 134 US Jul 1968 Jul 1971 Instamatic 150 US Aug 1964 Jul 1966 Instamatic 154 US Jul 1965 Jan 1969 Instamatic 154X Argentina Instamatic 155X UK, Germany Sep 1971 1977 Instamatic 174 US Jul 1968 Apr 1971 Instamatic 177X UK, Germany Jan 1977 1984 Instamatic 200 UK Jan 1965 1966 Instamatic 204 UK Jan 1966 Nov 1968 Instamatic 220 Germany 1965 1966 Instamatic 224 Germany 1966 1968 Instamatic 233 UK, Germany Sep 1968 1970 Instamatic 233X UK, Germany Sep 1970 1971 Instamatic 250 Germany 1964 1965/1967 US Instamatic 255X UK, Germany, Spain? Sep 1971 1977 Instamatic 277X UK, Germany Jan 1977 1985 Instamatic 300 US Mar 1963 Jun 1966 Instamatic 304 US,UK Jul 1965 Apr 1969 Instamatic 314 US Jul 1968 Apr 1971 Instamatic 324 Germany 1966 1967/1968 US Instamatic 333 Germany Sep 1968 1974 Instamatic 333X Germany Sep 1970 1971 Instamatic 355X Germany Sep 1971 1977 Instamatic 400 US, UK? Mar 1963 Jun 1966 Instamatic 404 US Jul 1965 Apr 1969 Instamatic 414 US Jul 1968 Apr 1971 Instamatic 500 Germany 1963 1965/1966 US Instamatic 700 US Mar 1963 Jun 1966 Instamatic 704 US Jul 1965 Apr 1969 Instamatic 714 US Mar 1968 Sep 1970 Instamatic 800 US Mar 1964 Jul 1966 Instamatic 804 US Jul 1965 Mar 1970 Instamatic 814 US Mar 1968 Aug 1970 Instamatic Reflex Germany 1968 1970/1974 US&UK Instamatic S-10 US Mar 1967 Mar 1970 Instamatic S-20 US Mar 1967 Apr 1971 Instamatic X-15 US Jul 1970 Mar 1976 Instamatic X-15F US Mar 1976 1981? Instamatic X-25 US Jul 1970 Jan 1974 Instamatic X-30 US Aug 1971 Jan 1974 Instamatic X-35 US Jul 1970 Mar 1976 Instamatic X-35F US Jul 1970 Jan 1974 Instamatic X-45 US Jul 1970 Jan 1974 Instamatic X-90 US Jul 1970 Aug 1973 110 Cartridge See also Kodak, Kodak AG, Kodak Ltd. for other Kodak 110 cameras, not called "Instamatic" Name Manufacture Introduced Withdrawn Instamatic 91 Nov 1974 Jan 1976 Instamatic 92 Sep 1974 Jan 1976 Instamatic 125 Sep 1974 Jan 1978 Instamatic 130 UK, Germany Jan 1976 1978 Instamatic 192 UK, Germany Jan 1975 Jan 1976 Instamatic 230 UK, Germany Jan 1976 1978 Mini Instamatic S30 Germany Sep 1976 Jan 1978 Mini Instamatic S40 Germany Sep 1976 Jan 1978 Pocket Instamatic 10 US May 1973 Sep 1976 Pocket Instamatic 20 US Mar 1972 Jul 1976 Pocket Instamatic 30 US Mar 1972 Apr 1976 Pocket Instamatic 40 US Mar 1972 Nov 1975 Pocket Instamatic 50 US Mar 1972 Apr 1976 Pocket Instamatic 60 US Mar 1972 Sep 1976 Pocket Instamatic 100 UK, Germany Sep 1972 Dec 1974 Pocket Instamatic 101 UK Jan 1974 Nov 1974 Pocket Instamatic 200 Sep 1972 Dec 1974 Pocket Instamatic 300 Sep 1972 Aug 1976 Pocket Instamatic 400 Sep 1972 1976 Pocket Instamatic 500 Sep 1972 1976 Tele-Instamatic 330 US Sep 1975 1978 Tele-Instamatic 430 Germany Sep 1975 1978 Tele-Instamatic 608 US Apr 1975 Jun 1979 Tele-Instamatic 708 US Mar 1976 Jun 1979 Trimlite Instamatic 18 US Apr 1975 Jun 1979 Trimlite Instamatic 28 US Apr 1975 Jun 1979 Trimlite Instamatic 38 US Apr 1975 Jun 1979 Trimlite Instamatic 48 US Apr 1975 Jun 1979 Super 8 movie cameras * Kodak Instamatic M2 * Kodak Instamatic M4 * Kodak Instamatic M6 (US) * Kodak Instamatic M12 * Kodak Instamatic M16 * Kodak Instamatic M24 * Kodak Instamatic M30 Books * Coe, Brian, Kodak Cameras: The First Hundred Years, pp.223-260, Hove Foto Books, Hove, East Sussex, UK: 1988. Source for some of the model names, and many of the dates. Links * Instamatic page on Mischa Koning's Kodak Classics * many Instamatic models are on Sylvain Halgand's Collection d'Appareils site * Pocket Instamatics on Pierre J's Apphotnum (English; also in French) * Instamatics page on John Cooper's OzCamera Category: I Category: Kodak Category: 126 film